Men
The most prolific, noticed — if only out of a desire to be noticed — and varied of the races that populate our world. They fashion themselves the de facto rulers, explorers, and defenders of Kai’ckul, and range from the mainstays of the Wardens, to the Trailblazers of the “Fear-East” and Soundless Brink, to the Wild Men of the Scorched Reaches, to the gentry and paupers of Civilized Kingdoms. Though far-ranging, most of all peoples, even the Men, are found there.

Take the Variant Human Package.

Half-Elves
Some call them Aberrations, and as such they are ostracized from many communities. They exist as the only ‘cross-breed’ of the races of Kai’ckul, born out of fanatical idolization of Elves by Men and the occasional tryst that resulted, or from close-proximity between Man and Elf in the dark, far-off and lonely halls where the Wardens patrol. In fact, many Half-Elves exist entirely in the ranks of the Wardens, where they least unwelcome. Like the Generationals, it is a lifestyle that has been passed from parent to child in a self-contained feedback loop. Potentially, to protect their offspring oddities, or because it was the easiest and simplest of paths, many Half-Elves are now our protectors.

Elves
Once the bringers of law, The Codification and Pax Omnia, now they are almost never seen. Still, they strike awe into nearly all peoples, as saviors, savants, or oddities. A very insular people, they are often seen as aloof and superior, but it could be said that this superiority is projected on the lithe, graceful and mysterious people, or a misinterpretation of their distancing attitudes.
Some say Elves came forth to teach everyone the “error of their ways,” using the raging war as their bargaining chip. This vocal minority fears the hierarchy of Kai’ckul is run by a select few: the Elves. They fear exploitation and control by another people, an inscrutable race that hides far from the cities and kingdoms they insisted be created.
Some say the Elves commune with our Draconic Fathers, hidden within the woods and earth, passing their edicts and direction down.
Some say the Elves saw a duty to be done, saved us all, and now their task is complete, they have no need for anyone else.
These are only a few conjectures, but what is clear: little is known about the fey people except for their innate grasp of magic energies, and their vehement maintenance of the Wardens.

High Elf
Also known as Elendil, they are usually seen exclusively in council meetings between Kingdoms, they are the rarest of Elves. Some call them “the Elect,” due to their extreme aloofness, as well as their rarity, and that they seem to be almost all spellcasters — elemental magics of spellcasters are the least understood and most feared of all things on Kai’ckul, and either due to the attitude of “the Elect” or as a testament to how impossible these powers are to grasp for others, almost no spellcasters exist beyond the Elves and this select group.

Low Elf [PHB Wood Elf]
Though they do not use the distinction of “low” amongst their own, it is almost unanimously used by the other people of Kai’ckul. It is seen as an epithet, but with Elves existing on the fringes for so long, or because of their reticence to come to blows, the term has become tacitly accepted — many non-Elves probably don’t know it is pejorative.
These are the most frequently seen of all Elves and comprise much of the Wardens (which are not Men, Half-Elf, or Generationals). They are found trading on large scale. They also are always seen bearing arms and armor, whether in the marketplace, traveling between Warden camps, or protecting the Elvish lands and roaming herds. It is for all of these reasons that the term and view of them has stuck as well, as they are seen by almost everyone as servants for the Elendil and a lower caste.

Dwarves
The most reclusive of all the peoples of Kai’ckul and the most fragmented. They hold onto their historical clan-roots, which establishes age-long animosity between different clans — even those who are practically neighbors, regionally and genetically — between those who remain in the mountains and those who “fled” to the hills. Their wariness includes the others as well, almost to a xenophobic level, urged on by feeling as the ones who bore the brunt of The Codification — in lives and being ‘relocated.’
For these reasons more than many others — like the tight-bonds within the clans themselves and even moreso the families that comprise a clan — Dwarves rarely venture from their holdings and even rarer are the adventurers in Kai’ckul. Even so, they are seen. Out of necessity, wanderers, displaced and dispossessed. There are tales of even Warden Dwarves: families who, rather than leave, sign up and teach their generations to defend their former homes.

Hill Dwarf
Mountain Dwarf
OR
Generational
Families of insulated, but devoted Wardens, protecting their former halls.
— Take Mountain or Hill Dwarf, but you may replace one Attribute bonus with 1 CON (ex. 1 CON instead of 1 WIS, or 1 STR/1 CON instead of 2 STR), and take the Warden Background package.

Halflings
Beset during the Age of Fathers, the diminutive race fought against aggression — stopping wave after wave of incursions and threats to their home: gentle, gorgeous hills right in the center of the Kingdoms. Eventually, their lands were so devastated and people so beleaguered, that when the Men came to them during The Codification, they were leaving in a Diaspora, and were only willing to assist in the Lost Wars as non-combatant support personnel and attached to other units throughout the conflict, and their lands would be rebuilt by the power, gold, and efforts of the Kingdoms.
These linchpins brought about the current situation: Halflings are far-flung and found in almost every city of the world, primarily as merchants, servants, and some entertainers. The Kingdoms have kept their word, but their lands serve as a reserve and all Halflings take at least one “vacation” to visit their “hallowed lands” — but almost none have returned.
Despite eschewing the front-lines during the conflict with the Lost, time and memory have brought a bit of bite back to these people and occasionally you do see a Halfling armed and barded, ready for combat — or at the very least, they are wont to start a tavern brawl or two, even in their own inn.

Lightfoot
OR
Stout

Gnomes
Originating from the Dragon’s Pebbles these little people now travel the world seeking, and occasionally spreading, knowledge. Unless they are tasked with an errand, they tend to stay very close to their home, and with few exceptions those are the Dragon’s Pebbles and the Enclave of Elves.
Be it a fey-affinity, or simply due to the admiration and curiosity entirely focused on the magic abilities of some Elves, the two peoples have established a kindred. Beginning as an exchange program of sorts between the Elendil and the Gnomes, it has progressed to where there are now Gnomes who call the Enclave their home, learning what they can from the Elves — though still a part and subject to the Magocratic seat of Wyrmspire.

Sorcerer (taught magic is rarer than rare outside of a tiny circle within the fey community)
Wizard (almost exclusively High Elves)
Monk (must have an exquisite and interesting backstory to support this class)

Unavailable Class:
Warlocks
‘Dipping’ into Warlock is a possibility later on in the campaign, with DM approval.

Attributes in Kai’ckul
You may use the standard set of ability scores (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8).
OR
You may use the 27 point-buy system.

LANGUAGES IN KAI’CKUL
These are the only languages to choose from at the start of the game:
Common
Elvish
Dwarvish
Gnomish
Halfling
Xarr – Written
Xarr – Spoken

If you have extra languages available to learn, or you do not wish to ‘spend’ your languages on the remaining ones left above, you may put your language slots on ‘HOLD’ should you encounter languages along the way in the campaign.

Backgrounds of Kai’ckul
These are in addition to those found in the PHB.

Trailblazer
Cartographers, explorers, and builders. It is said only the certifiable or those with a death wish, take on the mantel and commission of Trailblazer. Yet without them, there would be no Terminus, nor would we have Tumbledown. They tame the untameable, they go where no one else dare, and as such, they see the most virginal places in all Kai’ckul. It is they who have found the over-land passage to the “Fear-East,” and they who construct and care for all the roads under the aegis of the Code.
Collectively hired by the Codified Lands, the pay is meager in the objective sense, but many are drawn to Trailblazing for the challenge, the sights, the travel, or in hopes to find where our Fathers went.

Skill Proficiency: Two of: Perception, Nature, Survival or Athletics.Languages: Two languages of your choice, one of this MAY be either Written or Spoken Xarr. Also, gain “Blazing” as a Language — it is a secret language of symbols used to inform future Trailblazers about pitfalls and boons at a certain place — much like the “Hoboglyphs” of our world.Equipment: You may trade your pack for an Explorer’s Pack. A staff, a hunting trap, a memento or a small parchment with a scribble detailing an exciting place you once found.Feature: Wanderer (from the Outlander Background in the PHB)Additional Feature: Trailblazer Contract — pick a nation and a specific and difficult task to complete. Upon completion you will gain a purse commensurate to your task, and with your contract you may be able to enlist some support from denizens from that nation and other Trailblazers.

Suggested Characteristics:
Personality Trait:
1 – I can never sit still for very long.
2 – I am often caught distracted by flora and fauna.
3 – I glom onto people with energy and enthusiasm.
4 – I always have to be the first in and the first out of a room; new experiences are my lifeblood.
5 – I painstakingly appraise supply counts and maintaining their levels.
6 – I have to journal, map, or diagram my experiences for posterity.
7 – I readily say yes to tasks and quests, no matter how many I have awaiting completion.
8 – I donate everything I don’t need. I’ve got to keep the load light for the long road ahead.

Ideal:
1 – Freedom. The dark edges of the world must be pushed back so other, less brave souls can live where they wish.
2 – Independence. Only I know how best to do what I do.
3 – Aspiration. I will return honor and respect to Trailblazers and/or my nation.
4 – People. I do what I do for the betterment and expansion of civilization.
5 – Greed. I will find untold riches and glory and nothing and no one will get in my way.
6 – Knowledge. I must learn everything I can about this world in the short time I have.
7 – Destiny. I will find my own, untouched piece of the world and start my life there.
8 – Nature. The world, who gave us life, needs to be understood and lived with, not fought or brought to heel.

Bond:
1 – I am trying to bring wealth back to my impoverished beginnings.
2 – I was forced into this life by a treachery, framed for a crime I did not commit.
3 – Not being the eldest son, I had few choices in life, and none easy.
4 – I am hunted, and only the long road behind me protects me.
5 – If what I have found were discovered by others, Kai’ckul would be ruined.
6 – The world feels incomplete, and I seek the answer that will fill the void.
7 – My nation before everything, even at the cost of my life.
8 – A vagabond committed a crime, and I roam the world seeking vengeance.

Flaw:
1 – The world is a lonely place, but I have found drink to ease the emptiness.
2 – I must have a token of every new place I visit.
3 – My adventures have left me raw with fear, which haunts even my dreams.
4 – No one can tell a better story than I can, I’ve seen everything there is to see.
5 – Why hold back? Life is lived in the present. Ever forward.
6 – Spending so much time alone has left my hand quick to grab for a dagger.
7 – My relationships may not be long-lived, but there’s always another brothel.
8 – Cities leave too many possibilities for things to go wrong, I’ll stick to nature, thank you.

Warden
Once, everyone would kneel in deference for a passing Warden, give them passage, room and board with no question, boys would aspire to one day be a Warden. Now, those days are passed, and some say, the entire notion of Wardens is passe. Since their inception by Perius, there have been a grand total of zero incursions by those we defeated and drove away. Time has shown them to be a fool’s errand, an expense to keep the Dwarves happy, but one that maybe needs to be done away with. It’s purpose served.
Still, if you were to ask anyone to take up a Warden’s charge, or suggest that the Indahar Mountain Range should be reclaimed and reinhabited, you would find very few agreeing with you. And so, the Wardens serve to protect us against bogeymen and our own demons of the past.

Skill Proficiencies: Medicine, Perception Tool Proficiencies: One Gaming Set, Cook’s Utensils Equipment: Warden insignia, one martial weapon with which you are Proficient, you may trade your pack with a Dungeoneer’s Pack, and a small pouch with 5 gp.Feature: Warden: You never lose your way underground, and command the respect of Dwarves, Elves and fellow Wardens alike. They will treat you as guests of honor and usually are willing to perform a small favor or two for you, should you ask.

Suggested Characteristics:
Personality Trait:
1 – Actions are the only way I decide the merit of an individual.
2 – The quiet is lonely, so I liven things up with jokes and long-winded anecdotes.
3 – I am a natural-born leader, and I let everyone know it.
4 – There’s something out there, I know it, and I’m always on guard.
5 – The civilized world, it’s manners and ways confuse me.
6 – The borderlands breed isolation, so communication is not my strong point.
7 – Born into this life, I find the easiest way to do my duty, or someone else to do it for me.
8 – I sacrifice for everyone and expect commensurate acknowledgement and repayment for my life as a Warden.

Ideal:
1 – Family. I have a long line of proud Wardens who came before me.
2 – Glory. When the enemy rears its head, I will be the new Lothar Greatworth.
3 – Honor. If I let down my guard, I’ve let down all of Kai’ckul.
4 – Independence. I am better than where I came from, and will prove that I don’t need them.
5 – Responsibility. Someone must protect those that need protecting. The world is a dark place.
6 – Might. Those who seek to do us harm must be harmed in return, ten-fold to teach a lesson.
7 – Greater Good. The cost of my life is little in the scheme of the good in the world.
8 – Sincerity. I am who I am, so I will do what I do.

Bond:
1 – I fight for my brothers in arms.
2 – I stand in memory of those who died to make us free.
3 – I wish I fought in the Lost Wars, for those were the days of glory and honor.
4 – Without the Wardens, I would be a criminal, or worse. They needed bodies, and for that I am grateful.
5 – The command hierarchy exists for a reason. Follow it, or else.
6 – When our love was discovered, I was exiled, and they married off.
7 – I must reclaim my ancestral home, no matter the cost.
8 – There’s adventure to be had where no one else will go, no matter the risk.

Flaw:
1 – Orders are to be followed, without question.
2 – No task or duty is too impossible for me. Mere suggestion and I’m already disproving you.
3 – Waterskin? Wineskin is more like it. And those barrels will be empty when I’m through with them.
4 – My weapons don’t get enough use, so I’m itching for any opportunity.
5 – I was entrusted for combat, not discourse — my words are unchecked.
6 – I would kill for the opportunity for a better, easier life.
7 – No one must learn how I came to my current rank and position.
8 – There’s nothing pretty about where I live, so the slightest beauty piques my interest.

Wild Man
If there were an “other,” an enemy beating at the walls of Civilization, it would be the Wild Men of Southern Kai’ckul. An entirely tribal people, they are residue of the time before The Codification, and those flung to the edges of the world by the Lost Wars as people were displaced, or captured by the bands of barbarians, or sought vengeance for violences suffered. But those origins are long past, simmered into an indescribable but constant fury at anything under the protection of the Code.
It is their tenacity that has left the Scorched Reaches nearly undeveloped, and unmapped: a dark, frightening spot on any traveler’s map. They enslave, they loot, they throw themselves at each other, and occasionally, at the underbelly of the Codified Lands.
Though their tendencies are barbaric to the truest extent of the word, if you were to see one alone, or a small group, they are nearly indistinguishable from other peoples. And that is a very frightening aspect. They might have a ruddier complexion or be marred by scars, but isn’t that true of the east-west merchants and soldiers? Yet, we know they have left their bands and come to the cities because occasionally, one is caught because of an identifying brand, tattoo, or simply his accent, or foolishly being overheard speaking Xarr.
Xarr is their language, and something entirely their own. Gnomes have spent a good deal of time trying to analyze the language, but have found no common root to any other spoken or written language. Further, outside of strenuous and lengthy study, or being exposed at a very young age, the language is incredibly complex — probably due to it’s uniqueness, the brain cannot easily adapt. Some northerners have managed to learn to speak the language, others have learned to write it, but few can claim to do both, outside of the Wild Men of the South.

Skill Proficiency: Athletics, Animal Handling and either — one martial weapon, OR Survival, Perception, or Nature (these may not be replaced by duplicate skills).Languages: You Speak and Write Xarr (each is considered it’s own language for proficiency purposes) OR you may substitute Writing Xarr for gaining Expertise in Animal Handling.Equipment: You may start with a Pony OR a Donkey/Mule and the following equipment — Exchange your pack for a Raider’s Pack (A waterskin, a trophy from a tribal victory, a tinderbox, 5 days of rations, 5 torches, and 50 feet of hempen rope, all tossed in a Sack), and a weapon with which you are proficient.Feature: Wild Man: Not only do you have an uncanny ability to recall geography, terrain, settlements and features around you, and the ability to feed and water yourself and up to five people — as long as you are in an area with game, berries, et c. — but you also fit in amongst the roughest and most militaristic types of people with ease. You must also choose an identifying mark or sign for the tribe you have left, examples would be a tattoo, brand, or possibly a missing body part.Limitations: Wild Men may not be any of the following classes at Level 1: Paladin, Wizard, Monk. Also, work with the DM on allowable domains and class-paths, when those options are available.

Suggested Characteristics:
Personality Trait:
1 – Blood is a way of life, not something to be fearful of or squeamish.
2 – Social obligations and niceties are beyond me.
3 – My shaman had much wisdom to share, and I am keen to spread his word.
4 – A gesture or a noise is all I need to communicate.
5 – My friends are my tribe. But they are weaker than I and need protecting.
6 – Curiosity might have killed the cat, and broken that thing I just touched, but it hasn’t harmed me yet.
7 – Omens and portents abound, Kai’ckul instructs if you’re able to listen and hear.
8 – I’m haunted by my past, and what I remember can’t seem to be washed away.

Ideal:
1 – Might. The North has upset the balance of power and it must be rectified.
2 – Aspiration. I will return with stories and honor, proving my worth as a member of the tribe.
3 – Community. I seek a new tribe, no matter what form it might take.
4 – Retribution. Wrongs were done to my tribe and they must be revenged. (Another idea: Violence pressed me into a life with the Wild Men, and I seek to repay the favor.)
5 – Knowledge. Oral traditions have merit, but there’s more to learn in the wider world as I move beyond that backward life.
6 – Power. I hope to return with the strength to lead from Prktakk.
7 – Greed. The Scorched Reaches might be home, but elsewhere there’s so much more for the taking.
8 – Nature. I have seen the beauty of the world, and man seeks to mar it with his ‘creations.’

Bond:
1 – I meet every challenge with a smile, as it is an opportunity to prove my worth.
2 – Being the last, I must make my tribe known and live on in legend.
3 – It is my duty to rebuild my tribe.
4 – My tribe is the most important thing to me, even as we are apart.
5 – I’m searching for an answer which my tribe could not give me.
6 – Those who fight alongside me are my Prkk-brothers.
7 – Someone sacrificed themselves for me, and the repayment must be made.
8 – I will never forget how I became the last remaining member of my tribe.

Flaw:
1 – What are these wondrous things?! I am insatiable when it comes to the exotic intoxicants of the North.
2 – The opposite sex draws my attention endlessly, and exists for only one thing.
3 – Ostracized by my tribe, if I am found, I will be killed.
4 – A loss on the battlefield has left me shell-shocked and fearful to step back into the fray.
5 – The weak are natures detritus. Either they fend for themselves or they are supposed to die.
6 – Violence? It’s not just one way, it’s the only way.
7 – I secretly believe everyone is inferior.
8 – My separation from civilization leaves me wanting in social situations. I hear insults everywhere and am quick to anger and frustrate easily as I don’t understand this new world.

“Bonuses”
You may coordinate with the DM and select one of the following Tasks and Rewards as a pair for your character. Reward is dependent upon completion of the Task on a session by session basis, up to DM discretion. Fore and Fair-warning: These are time-consuming and expected tasks, and should be done out of a personal desire for character and the campaign, rather than a desire to be a Munchkin or power-gamer. The DM is glad to attribute additional strength to players who want to be as much a part of the campaign and characters as he is, but it comes with expectations and failing on your end will revoke the reward in perpetuity.

Task
Game Session Notes/Log — During play, keep ‘minutes’ and details of gameplay, to be typed up and sent out to the group within 24 hours.

Character Diary — Take the events of the session (usually using the Game Notes/Log as an aid, if there is one) and write up a character viewpoint description, as if it were a chapter in a fantasy novel. You may also include front-end and back-end story, describing events that occurred between sessions and may tie them together, or give a broader understanding of the group and character. This is due prior to the next gaming session.

Character Stories — Flesh out your character’s background and history with a tale. Much like “Character Diary,” but with a focus on non-gameplay aspects. Expand on a single element of your background, heritage, or what happens to your character during down-time between sessions. You can also team up with another player and account for their first meeting, or some such encounter. This is due prior to each gaming session.

World-Builder — Discuss with the DM an idea, region, personage, event, and before the next session, help build the world of Kai’ckul with a detailed account of the agreed upon selection.

Reward
Additional Feat — Take one feat of your choice that you meet the requirements for.

Experience Bonus — Advancement in the Campaign will be on the slow side, and not done in the typical fashion of handing out XP per encounter or session. Instead, the DM will determine when players should gain a level, dependent on success of their goals, quests, and the depth of roleplay. If you would like to increase your own advancement, with this reward you can expect to advance a level a session early for Level 2, two sessions early for level 3, et c. Yes, eventually you may be a level or two higher than your cohorts — barring any character dying.

Skill Package — Take one additional language, one weapon or armor proficiency, one tool proficiency, and one skill proficiency.

Minor Reward — If you want to complete tasks on an infrequent basis, or switch between tasks, or just get an idea and want to run with it, you will be rewarded with a GP or XP bonus dependent on the quality and completion of the task on a case-by-case basis.